Edward Thomas (Ted) Stone was born in Southampton, Hampshire 1, England on 18 July 1882.
He was the son of Edward George Brown Stone (1858-1954) Harriet Matilda Mantell (1862-1954). His father, a storekeeper, hailed from Dorset whilst his mother was a native of West Cowes, Isle of Wight. The couple were married in Dorset in late-1880 and went on to have five children. Edward's siblings were: Albert (b. 1885), Edith (b. 1894), Hester (b. 1896) and Adelaide (b. 1902).
Edward first appears on the 1891 census living at 94 Bedford Place, All Saints, Southampton and on the 1901 census at 7 Lodge Road, Shirley, by which time he was described as a billiard-maker.
He was married in Southampton in 1910 to Violet Alice Pope (b. 27 July 1885), a native of Portsmouth. The couple would have no children.
Edward would miss the 1911 census but his wife would be listed as living at 81 Suffolk Road, Portsmouth, the home of her married sister Ethel Rose Alexander and her family.
When he signed on to the Titanic, on 6 April 1912, he gave his address as 91 Shirley Road, Southampton. His previous ship had been the New York and as a second class bedroom steward he could expect monthly wages of £3, 15s.
On Thursday 11 April he wrote to his wife a letter which was posted from Queenstown.
My darling wife,
We did try to cause some excitement before we left eh. I don't know whether you see it [presumably referring to the New York Incident, suggesting Mrs Stone had attended the departure and might have witnessed the incident].
It's very nice weather. I don't think this will be the crowning trip for we have all the transfers from the American Line. Anyhow we'll do the best we can trusting we shall bring something good from the other side.
When you write to Plymouth, you had better write on the Monday before we get in. Anyhow you can see what time we will be getting in then use your own discretion.
Well my pet, you must excuse short letter, you know my feelings.
I hope you told Mrs Kelly about the railway ticket.
Ta ta sweetheart. With all of my fondest love to my dear little wife. Yours ever your loving husband Ted'.
Edward's last letter was sold at auction in 2020.
Edward Stone died in the sinking. His body, number 243, was later recovered by the Mackay-Bennett and was buried at Fairview Lane Cemetery, Halifax, Nova Scotia:
NO. 243. - MALE. - ESTIMATED AGE, 30. - HAIR, DARK.
CLOTHING - Black cloth overcoat; steward's coat; vest and pants; pajamas; "Stone" on trousers.
EFFECTS - Gold snake ring; two knives; ship's keys, marked '2nd Stateroom'; button hook.
TATTOO - On left arm; Japanese dragon; on right am, American flag and clasped hands.
STEWARD.
243 Male - Estimated age, 24.
Height, 5ft. 7in. Weight, 145lbs.
Hair, dark. Clean shaven.
Tattooed on left arm, Chinese dragon; on right arm; American flag and clasped hands.
Buried at Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, N. S.
Wore black cloth overcoat; steward's vest and trousers marked "Stone." Effects included gold double-headed snake ring; ship's keys marked second staterooms E 99 - 107.
His widow Violet never remarried and remained in Southampton where she died in 1973.
Edward is also remembered on his parent's headstone in Old Common Cemetery Southampton, section P98, plot 5.
Comment and discuss
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Does anyone have a note of the date of birth, birthplace and parentage of this Cornish crewman? Thanks Steve
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On the Biography page for Edward Thomas Stone there is a photograph of the gravestone marking his grave at Fairview. I have noticed that the inscription is incorrect in that is shows 'E J Stone'. E J Stone was also a bedroom steward whose body was recovered (#41) but he was buried at sea. I have looked closely at the body descriptions of E T Stone (#243) and E J Stone (#41) and believe that it was indeed the body of E T Stone interred at Fairview but that the inscription is incorrect. I will be pleased to hear from any message board reader on this apparent mix-up.
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Hello Steve, Happy New Year to you! Upon review of the Effects lists concerning the remains of the Titanic victims in Halifax, I have noticed something that I never realized before. The description of Body 41 reads... "....keys "Service ford E Deck, 1st stateroom 1 to 40, bill made out to J Stone" His address is written in in the Coroner's hand notations as 105 St Andrews Rd, Soton. Thus the gentleman is listed as "J. Stone" on the recovery list, not E J Stone. That mistake is listed in another persons' hand writing. I believe the writing belongs to an early researcher who made the copies available to several passenger researchers in the late 80's. Body #243 is similarly dressed, but carried keys marked "2nd Stateroom" and sported a tattoo of the American flag. His pants were marked "Stone" which, I believe" led to his identification, but he is not conclusively named as such...
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Brian Thanks for this. So it seems we agree that Edmund Stone was body #41 and buried at sea (and perhaps he was only E Stone, the J Stone being his uncle) and Edward Thomas Stone was body #243 and buried at Fairview. BUT the gravestone inscription at Fairview shows 'E J Stone' #243 whereas it should be 'E T Stone' #243 do you agree? I have made some good leaps forward with the parentage of Edward Thomas Stone since my original message posting (mainly courtesy of Ian Hough) so am almost ready to upload the family info to his biography page. Cheers Steve
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Although I have now found the parents of Edward Thomas Stone I still would like to find out where he was born and lived in Cornwall. Does anyone have easy access to the GRO birth indexes for the period 1882-1884 to see if there is an E T Stone listed with a Cornish Register Office name? Here's hoping! Steve
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A distant relative advises Peter, > > I wonder if you (or anyone else over there) has any information on a relative who served on the Titanic. There has been a long debated question on this subject ever since I can remember. My father (Bernard) had an official announcement of the memorial service that had been sent to the relatives of those who were lost on the Titanic. He said that it had belonged to his father (George Edmund) and that either one of his brothers or one of his uncles had served on the Titanic. The surname is Smith and this branch settled in Michigan ca 1910 from Northfleet/Gravesend Kent.Grateful for any help in finding the victims identity Peter Adams
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Edward Thomas Stone's mother, Harriet Matilda Mantell, was sister of my grandmother, Mary Jane Mantell. My father was his first cousin. Per his birth certificate Edward Thomas(Ted) was born 18 July 1882 at 3 Handford Place, Southampton. His father was Edward George Brown Stone whilst you have his names as Edward George Robert. In additon to his sister Hester, other siblings were Albert H. born c1885 & Edith born c 1894. You have his parents both died 1954 yet my grandmother had a "birthday book" in which she recorded Edward George's burial as 5 Sept 1924. In 1901 the Stone family lived at no. 7 Lodge Road Southampton, next door to Harriet's parents, George & Edith Mantell & family.
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